BackaBuddy shut down a R400,000 legal fundraiser for Peet Viljoen hours before his bail hearing at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday 8 July 2026. The campaign raised only R3,620 from six donors before being pulled offline. Image: Silindelo Sebata on x
Crowdfunding platform BackaBuddy has shut down a campaign raising money for Peet Viljoen’s legal fees ahead of his bail hearing on Wednesday 8 July 2026. The BackaBuddy Peet Viljoen fundraiser closure came just hours before the disgraced former lawyer appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. Furthermore, the campaign had raised only R3,620 from six donors before the platform pulled it offline. As a result, Viljoen’s family and supporters lost their primary fundraising channel at the worst possible moment.
BackaBuddy Peet Viljoen Fundraiser: What Happened
Family friend Tammy van der Merwe launched the campaign alongside Mel Viljoen. The goal was to raise R400,000 to cover mounting legal costs while Peet remains in custody at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria. However, BackaBuddy closed the campaign citing its platform standards and terms and conditions. Furthermore, the platform confirmed that eligible donations would be refunded to the six donors who contributed. As a result, the campaign raised less than 1% of its R400,000 target before it was taken down.
Visitors to the campaign page now see a notice stating the campaign was closed in line with BackaBuddy’s guidelines around fairness, transparency and trust. BackaBuddy did not publicly specify the exact reason the Viljoen campaign fell outside those guidelines. As a result, the closure has drawn significant public attention given the timing and the profile of the case.
Paid Supporters? Crowd Gathers Outside Court With Banners for Viljoen
A crowd gathered outside the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday carrying banners in support of Peet Viljoen. However, the demonstration quickly sparked scepticism among South Africans following the case. Social media users widely questioned whether those holding the banners were genuine supporters or individuals allegedly paid to create the appearance of public backing. As a result, the crowd outside the courthouse became almost as much of a talking point as the proceedings inside.
There is no evidence confirming that the supporters were paid. Nevertheless, many South Africans argued that a man facing more than 400 charges, including fraud, corruption, theft and forgery, who had spent more than a year outside the country before recently returning following deportation, would be unlikely to attract a large spontaneous show of support. The professionally printed banners further fuelled speculation that the demonstration had been organised rather than occurring organically. Consequently, instead of generating sympathy, the display prompted widespread mockery and criticism across social media.
What Viljoen Is Facing
Peet Viljoen faces 400 charges including fraud, theft, corruption, forgery, uttering and perjury. The charges link to an alleged R27.6 million scheme involving the fraudulent sale of 46 properties belonging to the City of Johannesburg between January and March 2010. The Hawks arrested him at OR Tambo International Airport on 16 June 2026 following his deportation from the United States. Furthermore, the State is vigorously opposing bail and has indicated it will use his own social media posts during proceedings. As a result, Viljoen faces an uphill battle in his bid for release.
For more on South African court proceedings visit npa.gov.za.
Editors Note Peet Viljoen is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. All charges referenced in this article are unproven and will be tested in court. Mzansi Today Live will update this article as further information becomes available.